My now thirteen year old teenage daughter gave me some rules as a gift for her becoming a teenager. Here they are and my responses to the “rules”:

1.NO ANNOYING ME IN THE CAR(NO SINGING, DANCING, BEEING ANNOYING, ETC.) unless I say it’s okay

This has to be the most fun I have at times. Seriously I get bored when driving and who is she to say I can’t sing along to songs especially if she plays the same one over and over and I memorize the song. This then becomes her fault and she should just enjoy it.

2.NO LOOKING AT MY PHONE OVER MY SHOULDER

OK I can get this one BUT when she lives on her phone at times I want to see what’s so important that it causes her to depart from the land of the living in the real world. Again, she could help me by helping herself and I don’t know pay attention to us a little more, right?

3.NO CHECKING MY PHONE UNLESS YOU HAVE A PLANNED DAY

Now this is where the “Mean” mom comes in. I believe I should be able to and without warning ask her for her phone and do a check of what she’s doing. She’s 13 and I want to make sure she’s not doing or seeing anything that a adult should be viewing or that some adults may not even view. Done. I am the mom and she’s the child on this one.

4.LET ME WEAR WHAT I WANT

She wins. Almost. She doesn’t need to show a lot of skin. Again she is 13 but I can respect her choice in clothes. Even if its not what I’d want.

5.DAD AND YOU CAN’T EMBARRASS ME AROUND MY FRIENDS

Fine. She wins. I think.

6.NO YELLING “I LOVE YOU KAILA!” OUT OF THE CAR WINDOW

Really, I know she secretly loves when I do this. Maybe not. OK she can have this one too.

7.NO SCRATCHING OR HURTING ME

Now before you think I abuse my daughter I do this in defense when we are all wrestling (rough housing) and she’s got me pinned down. Yes, she can and will and in defense I scratch or pinch to get up. Come on now. I’d love to breathe and escape.

8.MY MUSIC WHEN WE DRIVE SOMEWHERE AND ON THE WAY BACK IT’S YOUR MUSIC

She’s lucky because I know parents who control the radio always. I guess I can do this rule but she should remember rule number 1.

9.WHEN I THINK OF MORE ILL LET YOU KNOW.

So sweet. Really I have a beautiful girl.

10.NO ASKING ME ABOUT BOYS, MY FRIENDS, OR ELIJAH.

Fine. Still she’s growing up and her life interests me and I want to know how she is. Still I let her know recently I’m always here if she wants to talk. So I won’t ask her questions about boys because my hope is she will want to come to me.

She’s growing up. I can’t believe my little girl is a teenager and I’m sure she has a lot of the same rules for me that other teens have for their parents. It’s all part of growing up. I just think its funny that this is the first gift she’s given me on her birthday.